Evening Star Newspaper, March 5, 1898, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. ee PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 11C1 Fenneylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th St., by The E Star Newspaper Few York Office, 49 Potter Buildinz, ‘The Evening Star fs served to subscribers In the city by crrriers, on thelr own accouut, at 10 cents per week or 44 cents per month. Copies at the cevater 2 certs each. By mail—anywhere in the United States «r Canada—postage prepaid—50 cents per month. Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign postage added. $3.00. (Entered at the Pot Gffice at Washington, D. C.. as second-class ma'l matter.) 7 All mail subseriptions must be paid in adva Rates of advertising made known on appiicstion OFFICIALS WAITING Nothing Known About Plans of the Court of Inquiry. ACTIVE STEPS OF PREPARATION Secretary Long Confers With the President. MOVEMENTS OF THE SHIPS Recent developmerts at the State, War and Navy Departments in connection witn the Spanish situation have divided them- seives into two distinct branches, one re- lating to the court of inquiry and the other to the natural and necessary steps to place the naval and military arms of the serv- on an efficient basis. Concerning the court and its work, the information reach- ing the authorities kere is of the most fragmentary and inconclusive character, and the highest naval officials reiterate that nothing is at hand which indicates even the tendencies of the members of the ccurt from the evidence they have thus far recetved. Admiral Sicard’s telegram last night Save the only clue as to the plans of the court, and this in effect was that it would be some time before the testimony of divers and other witresses could be taken and an idea formed as to the time of clos- ing the investigation and submitting the report. It is felt at the Navy Department that this leaves the question, so far as the ccurt is concerned, in a state of doubt for scme days longer, probably a week or ten days, for aside from the conclusion of the hearings, there is the formulation cf the important findings, the framing of the ceurt’s opinion, and then the formalities of its transmission to Admiral Sicard and thence to Washington. While these last stages will be very brief when the actual findings and opinions have been matured, yet they cannot be entirely eliminated, and there appears to be no disposition to be precipilaie in a matter involving such grave issues. Activity in Military and Nav reaus. The other general branch of the subject— the activity in the various naval and mil- ftary bureaus—continues without reference to the work of the court of inquiry. This activity has not up to the present time taken the form of any concer orate pian of emergency preparations. manitest mainiy through com- Which when taken , Show that the heads oi ents have not veen inacuve in pre- paris (weir orancnes of the service tor auy requiemens which mught be maue upon tr A member of the cabiret siated today that there should be no misunuersiandns or misconseruction of these steps. ror in Stance, all of tne manifold movemenis, perticular.y in the west, of war muatcr.al, are cewared in the mest posidive mann Sr p-y to be in executicn of pians long ago ceve.cped by the forlincations beara 101 the cetense of the coast. Thus, at S_atile the \.ar Department recenUy purchased a tract of 64 es on Magnolia bluff, a point regarded by the board as indispens- able to the proper defense of Puget Sound. ‘this is now being put into conuition tor the reception of heavy guns ard ether Weapons, and it is said that the work should have been done lorg ago. But while it is stated that these steps are in accordance with past plans, there is no concealment of the fact that the ad- minisiration is impressed with a sense of duty in putting the two war branches in the highest state of efficien-y to meet any emerg*ncy. There is no disposition to an- tici e trouble, or to say that any situation will develop which will warrant the s~2's of preparaticns now on foo:. On the contrary, the highest authorities of the naval and military branches say they do not expect a crisis, that they are simply performing the duty allotted to them of being ready for anything that may arise, no matter how unexpected it may be from the information now in These high officials do not wish to mize their preparations, or to assert are merely routine, neither do these wise and natural precau- be construed beyond their legiti- Mate extent and made the basis for alarm- ing reports of war measures. In referring to this subject a member of the cabinet said he felt that patriotic instince: ould inepire a just measure of the activity now evident for no more and no less than it really meant. Need of Sailors. vy Department is embarrassed py the lack of “seamen” necessary to fill the meat of ships already or about to into commission. A number of seamen lost In the Maine disaster, and the riment will require about twenty-two . momoh and Katahdin, which » commission next week. In hortage the officials in charge of the re ng stations at League Island, Norfolk aod Newport have been instructed such seam and not ¢ 2 th have heretof: The departure of Gen. V sineers ¥ navy. ilson, chief of of the War Department, for the : is for the pur- tions and river He has not uch a tour in the direction he has taken since his appointment to his present He may go to Dry Tortugas, in of Mexico, which the War Depa |. but which is ne Guif ment formerly occup! iz use by the marine hospital service. Ships Not Ready for Service. According to an official of the construc- m bureau of the navy, it will be some time before the Charleston, Yorktown and Philadeiphia, now at the Mare Island yard, are again ready for sea service, unless ex- traordinary measures are taken to hurry the work on them. The work on the rieston, carried on in the manner in h it has been done, will require three months before she is finished. The York- town and Philadelphia might be prepared again for sea service in a very short time if they are not put in commission, but if | the latter step is resorted to it will require drom six to nine months to put them in ape. rhe War Department is having some dif- ity in obtaining the title to sufficient fe ground at Point Wilson, Washington, on & h it is proposed to erect fortifications. ‘This is because of the fact that the owners @f much of the land are scattered over the Qountry and trouble has been experienced im securing their addresses. The mater is now in the hands of the Department of Justice, which is doing everything possible to push affairs. The nature and extent of the works to be erected will depend on the money available. Work on Coast Defenses. “We are pressing work on fortifications,” said an official of the War Department to- day, “just as we have been since the per- manent system of coast defense inaugurat- ed by Congress about two years ago. We aim to spend all the money Congress ap- ‘propriates yearly, so that the legislative Lody will be induced to continue to author- ize expenditures for this necessary of national defense. “Naturally the public is taking great in- terest in all that is going on, and probably observes with closer scrutiny everything being done. This, coupled with the fact No 14,044, ~ WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, MARGH 5 1898—TWENTY-FOUR PAGES TWO CENTS The Evening Star is the only afternoon paper in Washington that receives the dispatches of the Associated Press. It is therefore the only one in which the reader can find the complete news of the world, directly trans- mitted by telegraph, up to the moment of going to press. that no one except members of Congress is allowed to enter the fortifications, and they only with consent of the Secretary of War, apparently makes the works all the more mysterious. Nor could I be at liberty to tell of any steps that are being taken a8 the result of the pending excitement, even if I knew of such.” Inspection of Merchant Marine. A visit to the Navy Department, one of those made at not infrequent intervals in the cours: of duty, by Lieut. J. D. J. Kel- ley, U. S. N., caused the immediate circu- Jation of a report that the government is embarking on the large undertaking in the inspection of all vessels of our merchant mzrin: fhat might be available for naval service in case of need. For more than six months Lieut. Kelley has been charged with the duty of imspecting vessels of the merehant marine to ascertain if they com- plied with the terms of the so-called sub- sidy act and are thus fitted for naval ser- vice. The terms of the act which was pass>d several years ago appear to be de- signed to secure the creation of a class of vessels under the American flag, built in American shipyards, that shall be, first, suitable for the rapid and safe carriage of the United States mails, and s2cond, suit- able for transformation, in case of need, i:t0 auxiliary cruisers for the navy. Ever since the passage of that act the Navy Department has had officers at work insp2cting merchant vessels, either in their preliminary stages of corstruction or after completion, when their owners sought to take advantage of the act and claim sub- ies for their ships. Many vessels have been so inspected and th2 naval officers have reported to the Pestmaster General their fitness or unfitness for naval service. As already stated, Lieut. K2lley is now in charge of that particular of the navy, and bas been prosecuting it with diligence. Without doubt the public excitement of the last few weeks induced a number of vessel owners who have nev2r before sought to take advantage of the subsidy act to submit their ships to the Navy De- partment now for examination, and this has resulted in unusual activity on the part of the inspecting officers. Probably everybody who has a ship under ecnstruction which could by any possibility be metamorphcsed into war craft has writ- ten to the Navy Department offering his ship for sale to the government. There is a strong tincture of “war prices” in the fig- ures named by many of these patriotic citi- zens as a selling price for that craft. Some offers have also come from abroad; but so far as can be gathered all these are spon- taneous and were not called for by invita- tion by the Navy Department. ‘The Brooklyn at La Guayra. The armored cruiser Brooklyn arrived at Le Guayra, Venezuela, yesterday and re- ported last night by cable to the Navy De- partment. It is the intention of the author- ities to keep the ship at that port for a few days, or at least until it is demonstrated that the insignificant revolutionary move- ment in the eastern portion of the country is shown not to endanger any American in- terests. Then the plan is for the Brookiyn to proceed to Colon and await orders from the department. The Newport, with the Nicaragua canal commission aboard, ar- rived at Colon yesterday with the expecta-, tion of remaining until the 10th instant. he training ship Essex has sailed from Fert Monroe for Tompkinsville. Mr. Du Bose at the State Department. Mr. Du Bese, the Spanish charge, called at the State Department this morning and had a short talk with Judge Day concern- ing recent filibustering movements. The Gepartment detired to get fuller informa- tion than had thus far been furnished. It is understood that Spain's purchase of war- ships and other subjects which have at- tracted much interest within the last few days were in no way referred to, as Mr. Du Bose has received no information on these subjects, and they are not open to Epiomatic negotiatior s. Secretary Long at the White House. Secretary Long visited the President to- day in company with Representative Hil- born of California, a member of the naval affairs committee of the House, and con- sidered one of the best-posted men in the country on naval matters. Secretary Long took with him a number of pap>rs. His conference with the President lasted some time. To a Star reporter Secretary Long said that there was absolutely no truth in the story published today that this country is considsring the advisability of securing op- tions on eight men-of-war which are prac- tically completed in foreign shipyards. “Nor is there any truth in the story that Spain has purchased several war vessels built in other countries,” he said. The cenfer2nce is believed to have been important, and was in relation to navy matters. Militia’s Relation to the Government. ‘The Secretary of Wer recently received a letter from Adjutant Gereral Sykes of the National Guard of Kentucky, inquiring “what the relation would be between the United States government and the National Guard of the different states in the event that war should be declared between this country and any other power.” In his lét- ter Gen. Sykes says that “not a day goes over now that this office is not in receipt of letters from parties In different sections of the state asking that they be allowed to raise volunteer regiments in the event that there should be any trouble between this country and Spain. These requcsts have caused some dissatisfaction with the Na- tioval Guard of this state, the organized guard claiming that they should have the preference.” Although the Secretary cf War has not yet made an Cfficial response to tnis letter, there is no doubt that he will inform the writer that, though the department is not yet prepared to answer hypothetical ques- tions of the character involved, there seems to be no doubt that in the contingency men- ticned the National Guerd of the states would have the same relation to the reg- ular army that the volunteer forces held during the war of the rebellion. — + 2 A COMING BUREAU CHANGE. Admiral Matthews to Re! ish His Duties at the Navy Department. Rear Admiral E. O. Matthews will relin- qvish his duties as chief of the bureau of yards and docks, Navy Department, on the Sth instant, in -conseqvence of the ex- piration of four y2ars’ term of office. He will retire for age in the fall, and it is un- derstood, in the meantime, he will be as- signed to duty as president of either the examining or retiring board. No one has yet been selected to succeed him as chief of the bureau of yards and docks. Up to the time of the loss of the Maine, Capt. C. G. Sigsbee, the commander of that ves- sel, had been regarded as his most likely Svecessor. Whether that catastrophe will devolve other duties upon Capt. Sigsbee which would preclude his appointment to the bureau office depends entirely upon future devzlopments, gee CAPTURED IN MEXICO. se After the Chief of a unterfeiter’s Gang. THe secret service agents of the treasury have arrested V. J. Travin at San Luis Potosi, Mexico: He is a counterfetter, a fugitive from justice and will be returned to Chicago for triak Last July he and two other men were arrested in Chicago for ccunterfeiting the $ silver certificates. When they were arrested @ Mthographic stone, containing the back of the certift- ‘The men were NOT THROWN AWAY.|°F STRATEGIC: IMPORTANCE | QPPQSITION REMOVED Collecting the Lapps and the Rein- deer, DR. JACKSON DISCUSSES HIS MISSION Benefit That Will Accrue to the Alaska Colonists. GATHERING THE HERD Dr. Sheldon Jackson, who was sent to Norway as the agent of the War Depart- ment for the purchase of reindeer and the hire of Laplanders for use in sending re- lef to the miners in the Yukon gold re- gion, was at the War Department today for thé purpose of reporting the results of his mission. “Have you seen the statement of the Secretary that the relief expedition to Klondike has been abandoned?” he was asked. “Yes, I read it in the papers.” “Your expedition then was in vain?” “Oh, no. No one can but rejoice that there has been found sufficient food in the Klondike to keep the people from starv- ing. While I do not know the further plans of the Secretary of War, yet I judge that the herd will be used for furthering some of the exploring parties which the government was proposing to undertake when I went abroad. But if not utilized by the government they can be sold and made available for helping the transportation companies, which will be an important thing. “Next to the discovery of gold the intro- duction of these Lapps as permanent col- onists in Alaska is the most important event of the past year in connection with that country. They are recognized as the most intelligent, expert and experienced reindeer drivers in the world. The mines of Alaska cannot be fully developed with- out reindeer transportation, and it is to these hardy Lapps that all employing rein- deer will be compelled at least for some years to apply for their drivers. Coming to Alaska they will as speedily as possible work into the business of owning and rais- ing reindeer herds for themselves, and give promise of permanency to the new in- dustry of raising reindeer, which is being placed in the country. I think that the Secretary of War did wisely in procuring and bringing these Lapps and reindeer to this country. I greatly admfre his fore- sight and broad statesmanlike views of the necessities of the situation in Alagka that made him willing to undertake the untried responsibilities of procuring and bringing to this country a herd of trained reindeer, and I greatly rejoice, on his account as well as my own, that it has proved so great a success. z A Great Benefit to Alaska. “While the Secretary was looking to the relief of the destitution he has ‘builded wiser than he knew.’ The destitution be- irg relieved, he has been instrumental in securing and, placing in Alaska this valu- able colony of Lapps. They, as said before, will play no unimportant part in the de- velopment of the mines and the resources of that country. Then another important point gained by the success of the expedi- tion has been to show to transportation companies and private parties who may desire to secure trained reindeer for the furtherance of their business that it is Possible to successfully procure and bring to this country reindeer and drivers from Lapland. It is true that two or three pri- vate expeditions have lost a heavy per- centage of their deer in ercesing the At- lantic, but I am informed by steamship ten that they did not take ordinary pre- cautions In securing suitable food for the deer while en route. My experience for the past six years in bringing reindeer from Siberia to Alaska, and this more difficult, because longer experiment, of bringing them from Europe, has demonstrated to my own satisfaction that with ordinary care and good judgment the reindeer is transported as easily as any other animal.” Gathering the Herd. In @ conversation with a Star reporter Dr. Jackson gave some interesting particn- lars about the difficulties he experienced in procuring the animals. He said he had seven men searching through northern Lapland from the coast to the boundary line of Russian Finland for a long time looking for suitable animals. bought a whole herd at he said, “it would have Leen but Iittle trou) But requiring pick- ed deer, trained fo harness, necessitated buying in small lots of three and four in & herd, and covering a large area of terri- tory. This required on the part of the sev- eral men travel amounting in the az- gregate to 3,000 miles. This 3,000 miles of reindeer sledding was made in a region trom three to four degrees of latitude north of the Arctic circle, and during the arctic night, when the sun does not appear above the horizon from November 18 to January 23—3,000 miles of sledding through long reaches of unsettled forests, over storm- swept mountains and along the edge of dizzy precipices in the darkness of night. The work was also done in the middle of the arctic winter, when fearful storms rage almost constantly. “The reindeer thus purchased were as- sembled in four different sections of the country, about 120 miles from the sea. ‘With them were the Lapp drivers and their familtes, making four bands of people, ag- gregating 113 in number, and four bands of reindeer, aggregating 538. In addition to these were a number of Lapps and their private deer, who were coming to the coast to see their friends off. The 26th and 27th of Janusry were set for their starting for the coest. For three weeks a storm had raging without ceasing. All signs of reads ware obliterated by the drtving snow. That storm on the day for starting had turned into a regular blizzard. It seemed in:possible that any human being could cross the mountains and face the stozm. Upon one of those. days, the mayor of the village callirg upon me, I inquired the probability of their being able to travel, when he informed me that no one could face that storm and live. And yet these four bands of over 100 people, men, women and children, some of them babes less than ‘a year old, did face that storm and did cross the mountains in open sleds, 120 miles te the coast. The Ocean Trip. “A portion of the way across the ocean we had a very rough trip, encountering a severe gale that lasted nine days. The captain of the ship, who has followed the seas for forty-two years, and the first oM- cer twenty-four years, testified that ‘they had never experienced a worse-etorm. One of the shfp’s boats was wrenched from the Why the Navy Department Desires the Dry Tortngas. If Occupied Another Quarantine Sta- tiom Must Be Immediately The proposed transfer of Dry Tortugas, which is now regarded as the most import. ant quarantine station off our southern coast, to the War Department, would neces- sitate the immediate selection of another location for a stationoff the eoast of Florida. The quarantine season against ports infected with yellow fever and other infectious diseases begins April 1, so that it the War -Department decides to resume control over Dry Tortugas and Fort Jeffer- son, which is located*there, no time will be lost by the marine‘ hespital officials in fitting out another station: - Aiready. some correspondence has been had with officials of the service on the’Fiorlda coast and several of the Florida keys: have been suz- gested as suitable places to which the sta- tion might be transferred. Among them are Fleming Key, which Surgeon Murray at one time considered superior to Dry Tur- tugas as a location for,.a quarantine sta- tion; Mullet Key, wherdé:the state of Flori- da now maintains a Station, and Bahia Honda, which is east of*Key West. Fine Lecdtion. Owing to the admirable location of Dry Tortugas, which is directly in track of all vessels bound to the United States from the West Indies, the ngrth coast of South America and Central Afwerica and the per- fect character of the quarantine station, it will be given up with great regret by the marine hospital service, if the War De- partment insists uron taking possession: The anntval reports show that in 1895. fifty-one vessels were disinfected at the station and in 1896 sixty-one vessels, The figures for last year, when the number was much greater, are not yet available. Yel- low fever patients are not treated at Tor- tugas station, but at Bird Key, six miles away. Those who were injured in the Maine explosion who were in the hospital at Havana, where yellow fever always ex- ists, were detained at this station before being taken to Key West. The advantages claimed for Dry Tortu- gas as a point for quagantine station are claimed for it as a strategic point for a base for a fleet operating against Cuba. It was used during the civil war as a base of operations against the confederate states. A report by Surgeon Murray two years ago contains some valuable information re- garding the location, the harbor and the condition of old Fort Jefferson. The group of k2ys, or islets, of which Gorden Key, upon which the station is located, is the center, cover an aréa of eleven square miles. Gorden Key consists of ten acres, On it are the old fort, Tortugas harbor light, having a range of thirtzen miles, and the quarentine station. The anchorage to the northwest of Gorden’ Key has a usable erea of 1 by 1% miles«with from 7 to 11 fathoms of water and excellent holding ground Into this anchorage are thre: channels, and Surgeon Murray. says*that with a lit- tle care any vessel in thé world now built ore be constructed egn ‘enter without a Pilot. * a. = The fort is surrouhded:by & 70-foot moat, made by a brick-and coherete hreakwat> Where are two openings in the breakwater through which the tide ebbs ana flows. The breakwater prevents th> foree of the waves in bad weather from throwing water through the lower casemates and the fort. The Protection. ‘The inclosed area 1s about nine acres and is occupied by officers’ quarters, soldiers’ quarters, the light keeper's residence, ord- nance sergeants’ quarters and unfinished powder magazines. Surgeon Murray’s report would seem to Indicate that the fort is in a bad state of repair. He says the casemates on the lower row contain mounted guns or war ma- terial. The upper casemates were used for years as quarters for army officers and soldiers, prisoners of war and others, and Surgeon Murray sayg they are cool, easily ventilated and diffeult of infection. The channel into the inner harbor goes entire- ly around the northeast, east and south sides of the fort and 1s narrow and tortu- ous. In places it is less than 800 feet wide. The depth is four fathoms by selection, but there is a fifteen-foot ‘bead’ near the north entrance which is a menace to all vessels of that draft. The short turns of the channel give trouble. in handling ves- sels more than 250 feet in length, and it is scarcely possible to move a 300-foot vessel without touching somewhere. The coal shed at the wharf only has a capacity of 150 tons. The source gf water is from rain only, but is abundant if properly con- served, the rainfall. bemmg about thirty inches. It is retained in seven cisterns. ee ee WHITE HOUSE CALLERS. Questions of Patronage Discussed by Visitors. Senators Quay and Penrose called upon the President today to discuss Pennsvl- vania matters. The statement was made some time ago that the Presid2nt had de- cided to give the posinori of interstate"com- merce commissioner to a Pennsylvanian. It is claimed today that the President has made no progress in ssigcting a successor to Col. Morrison, whose term expired weeks ago, The number of applicants for the po- sition grows each day, but“the President nas not selected the man, Representative Henry of Connecticut called upon the President with four Con- necticut men of prominence who have been in the city attending the pure food con- gress, They .are John B. Noble, state dairy commissioner; Robert O. Eaton, as- sistant dairy commissioner; George L. Mc- Lean, factory inspector; Jacob D. Walters, New Haven county commissioner. Senator was @ caller with Mr. Boxwell, a ‘ttamenmsber of the Ohio ‘legislature. Representative Payne of New York talked with the President om New York matters. r. Payne thinks thist: Cohgress ought to finish its work with caseamd adjourn about the 1st of May, unless serious complica- tions with Spain artse, which would, of course, indefinitely prefongithe session. ‘Mr. Payne, however, does:mot aok for anything of this kind. : Personal @fenelo: Major General James:W. Forsyth, retired, is at 1775 N street. pe Lieut. W. L. Wright} i6t& Infantry, is in the city on special dugy; wath the governor of Kentucky. Mr. John Tweedalej-chtet clerk of the War Depart: , hasexetumned to this city after a visit to News ¥ork in connection with the shipment of reindeer to the Klon- Gike. - + Mr. Geo. M. Oyster, sr., who recently ex- Peruted suficiently to make s trip to Flore a “ da, where he. will aa for some time. He is now at Palm nied by his daughter, and Is revov his hi . Armistead 3 to the War Preparations Will Not Be Fought in Congress. LEADERS REALIZE THE CIRCUMSTANCES Bill for More Artillerymen to Go Jhrough the House. CAUTION TO BE OBSERVED ———— The leaders of Congress are sufficiently informed of the gravity of the situation be- tween this country and Spain to remove all opposition to preparations that have to be made for the contingency of a war. What might be regarded as opposition by those rot familiar with the facts is merely a dif- ference of opinion as to the advisability of public action which will amount practically to-an announcement to the world that war is regarded as inevitable. The artillery bill is to be passed by the House next week, and it will not be op- Posed by the democrats. As a matter of policy, the republican managers responsi- ble for the measure will not, in asking for its passage, represent that it is requi account of a present emergency. Such a public acknowledgment of an emergency would be simply to increase the difficulties of the situation. The minority party, how- ever, being opposed to any increase of the standing army, except in preparation for a threatened war, will withhold all oppost- tion to this measure on the grounds that ig an emergency measure. It is not ex- pected that they will discuss this phase of the matter any further than may be nec- essary to let it be known that they do not relinquish their opposition to increasing the army in time of peace, end that their passive support is given in this case be- cause they have become convinced that the measure has been rendered necessary by present existing conditions of an ex- traordinary character. It is expected that the bill will be taken up toward the middle of the week and will be passed without any demonstration. Beyond the action on this measure, which, having already passed the Senate as an emergency measure, could not be kept a secret matter, it is not intended that there shall be anything done in Congress to at- tract attention to the situation, as to the gravity of which the leaders are already sufficiently informed. Other steps neces- sary to be taken are expected to be taken by the administration without coming to Congress, but relying on Congress to ap- prove afterward of what has been done under circumstances which warrant an unusual course to be followed py the Presi. dent. Leaders of both parties will prob- ably be informed of the necessity of fol- lowing such a course, but the details of what is being done will be kept a secret from all but very few. A conference, con- cerning the naval situation was held in the naval committee room of the House, since yesterday morning, at which the Speaker was present. It is thougnt that the administration will be fully warranted in taking such steps as may be necessary in preparation for the equipment of the auxiliary cruisers if they need to Le cailed into service, and for the purehase of naval vessels wherever they may be had before neutrality laws shail intervene to render such purchases impos- sible. If Congr were asked to authorize the purchase of war vessels that would be equivalent to an announcement to Spain and the rest of the world that we were going to war. Therefore such a course will not be adopted. It is well understood that Spain is preparing to the full extent of her power for war and is seeking to purchase ships of war, if she has not already made such purchases. The President and Secre- tary of the Navy can proceed with the same sort of preparations without the ne- cessity of coming to Congress and compli- cating and adding danger to the situation by publicity in advance of the time when publicity will be necessary. —__+2+_ IT WILL BE AN IN NOVATION. A United States Military Attache to Be Stationed at Rio Janeiro. First Licut. J. H. Shipton, ist Artillery, stationed at Fort Monrce, has been assign- ed to duty as military attache of the Amer- ican legation at Rio de Janeiro. This as- signment is somewhat noteworthy, inas- much as it is the first one of the kind yet made in the case of any of the South American countries. Lieut. Shipton is now in this city and will accompany Mr. Chas. P. Bryan, the new minister to Brazil, to his station It is expected that they will start from New York in a few days. Mr. Bryan has delayed his departure in order to meet Mr. Edwin H. Conger, late min- ister to Brazil, who has been appointed to succeed Mr. Charles Denby as minister to China. Mr. Conger arrived at New York the early part of this week, and is expected to visit this city within a day or two. Waile here he will be the guest of his sister, Mrs. McIntyre. After Mr. Con- ger has had a conference with the Presi- dent, the Secretary of State and Minister Bryan he will start on his mission to the celestial empire. About the same time Mr. Bryan will start on his journey to Brazil. ———o-—_____ SPANISH DUTIES REDUCED. Rates on Wheat and Wheat Flour Lowered. Secretary Sherman last night received the following cable message from Minister Woodford, at Madrid: “By royal decree, published today (yesterday), and taking effect in Peninsula Balgarie and Canary Islands March 5, 1898, ‘the tariff duties on wheat snd wheat flour are transitorily re- duced as follows: On wheat, 6 pesetas per 100 kylograms, in place of 10 pesetas fifty centymes, as heretofore; on wheat flour, 10 pesetas instead of,17 pesetas thirty-two centymes, as heretofore. These duties to remain in force go long as the price of wheat in Castilian markets shall exceed 27 pesetas per 100 kylograms.” ——+-2+____ FORT WASHINGTON GARRISON. It Will Be Increased by a Detach- ment From the 4th Artillery. The garrison at Fort Washington on the Potomac will be increased in a few days by a@ non-commissioned officer and ten men from the 4th Artillery at Washington barracks. The present garrison consists of Company A, 4th Artillery, under com- mand of Walter Howe of that regiment. Until other arrangements are made these men are also responsible for the care of the new guns recently mounted at Sheri- den Point, the new artillery post recently established on the Virginia banks of the Potomac, nearly opposite Fort Washing- ton. It is expected, however, that a sepa- rate garrison will shortly be established. at Sheridan Point. May 2, for the examination of candidates for admission to the Medical Corps of the army. The leave of absence granted Second Lieut. Hamilton A. Smith, 3a Infantry, is extended one month. The following transfers are made in the 8th Infantry: First Lieut. John Adams Perry, from Company E to Company K; First Lieut. Charles Gerhardt, from Com_ pany K to Company E. Additional Second Lieut. Lawrence 8. Miller, 4th Artillery, is assigned to a va- cancy of second lieutenant in that regi- ment, Battery K. Leave of absence for two months is granted Capt. Joseph H. Dorst, 4th Cavalry. 2 —____- TO DRIVE THE FRENCH OUT. Royal Niger Company's Forces to tan of Sokoto. BRASS, West Coast of Africa, March 5. —The Royal Niger Company's forces left Lokoja yesterday for Sokcto to assist the Sultan of Sokoto to drive the French out of his territory should the French forces refuse to recross the Niger river. LIVERPOOL, March 5.—Major Lugard, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Niger Company's forces, accompanied by other officers, sailed today for Rio Des Forcados, Upper Guiana. : —— CHICAGO AFTER THE CONVENTION. Christian Endeavorers There to Raise a Fund of $30,c00. CHICAGO, March 5.—Chicago will be the meeting place fer the big international convention of the Christian Endeavor unions in July, 1899, if the efforts of the local union prove successful. Realizing the value of an early campaign the mem- bers of the Chicago branch have already entered the field. A preliminary committee, headed by A. E. McDonald, president of the local uniou, has already been appointed to secure a guarantee fund of $30,000, the amount necessary for the entertainment of the v'sitors. This committee is known as “Chi- cago 99,” and will begin soliciting sub- scriptions at once. It is estimated that over 75,000 people will attend the conven- tion. ———____ JUDGE J. N. HENDREN DEAD. Was Treasurer of the Southern Con- federacy During the War. clal Dispatch to The Evening Star. STAUNTON, Va., March 5—Judge John Newton Hendren, who was treasurer of the confederacy till the end of the war, died at his suburban home near this city o’cleck this morning. He was seve ars old. He was a graduate of th ersity of Virginia and practiced law for several years. He was a master commis- sioner of chancery and judge of the county court of Augusta until removed during re- adjuster supremacy in the state. He filled the post of treasurer of con- federacy during its darkest ¢ and at the evacuation of Richmond a carry south the most impor: his department, but was driv reaching Greensboro’, S. C. He leaves a widow and one son, the only survivor of ten children, Mr, Samuel Hendren of Baltimore. > — FRANK KALKE KILLED. Ss LIEUT. United States Army Officer Run Over by a Freight Train. BURLINGTON, Iowa, March 5.—Lieut. Frenk Kalke of the United States army, commandant at lowa Wesleyan University, at Mt Plearant, attempted to board a freight train here today. He missed his focting and was cut completely in two at the waist. He leaves a wife and two chil- Gren at Mt, Pleasant. Dealers in Oil Well Supplies Fail for $300,000, NEW YORK, March 5.—Bettman & Wat- son, dealers in oil welt supplies, with offi- ces in this city and a plant at Parkersburg, W. Va., made an assignment today to Emanuel W. Bloomingdale. The amount involved is said to be $500,000. al FIVE YEARS FOR MRS. PETERKIN. Paterson, N. J.. Woman Who Killed Mrs. Murphy. BOSTON, March 5.—In the superior court this morning Mrs. Nellie Peterkin of Pat- erson, N.J., was sentenced to a term of five years’ imprisonment at Sherbrooke for Killing Mrs. Catharine Murphy last Octo- ber. Mrs. Peterkin was found guiity of manslaughter after a trial in which it was shown that she went to the home ef Jo- seph G. Murphy, a hcrse deaier, while un- der the influence of liquor, and asked for Mr. Murphy. He was not at home at the time, and Mrs. Murphy ordered her out of the house. She refused to go, and a struggie ensued, in which Mrs. Peterkin drew a revolver and killed Mrs. Murphy. PAID OUT MUSKY ILLEGALLY. Controller Coler Reports on Brook- lyn’s Old Finances. NEW YORK, March 5.—Controller Coler made public today the report in regard to the investigation of the finances of the old city of Brooklyn. In it he says that the officers of the city works department paid money to contractors illegally and without advertising for bids. The control- ler says that one contractor was paid $15,- 0W0 for repaving a street which he had paved ana guaranteed a year and half be- wore. —__.__ RIVER BEDS FULL OF GOLD. Party of Michigan Men Bound for the North Coast. PORT TOWNSEND, Wash., March 5.— A party of fifteenmen from Bay City, Mich., ure building an eighty ton schooner here in which they expect to sail north in May. The party will prospect on Noatatak, Kookpuk and other rivers which empty in- to the Arctic ocean between Cape Prince of Wales and Point Hope. A whaler_known as “Swede Jonson” will accompany the party. Jonson says all the rivers emptying into the Arciic ocean north of Cape Prince of Wales are rich in gold deposits, and that nuggets can be picked up by the handful in rivers only a few miles back from the coast. + Late Naval Orders. Lieut. ¥. Noel has been detached from the Naval Academy and ordered to the Samoset at League Island; Ensign N. E. Irvin, fram the Navy Department to the Baltimore at Honoluiu; Lieut. A. G. Win- terhalter, from the Baltimore to the Ben nington; Lieut. W. P. Elijott, from the Baltimore and grented two months’ leave of absence; Lieut. G. W. Logan, leave re- yoked ard ordered to bureau of nety rd Lieut. F. H.. Holmes, from duty ai to the re; Lieut. A. W. Dodd, revoked and d to-duty in hydro- SOLD SPAIN MINES English Electrical Engineer Makes a Sensational Statement. HIS NAME FORWARDED HERE Purchase of Brazil's Warships by Spain is Confirmed. BUYS THE O’HIGGINS ALSO en ee ae LONDON, March 5.—According to the statement of a man whose cards describe him as being an electrical engineer, whose rame cannot be disclosed, but has been forwarded to Washington, he sold to Span- ish officers in London, several years ago, @ large number of mines, cight or ten of wh:ch were placed in Havana harbor. He says they were made in a special way and kad a specially and peculiarly connected cable, which, he contends, he can positively identify, if the smallest piece is produced. Som? of the mines, the man continued, were fixed; they could be fired from a fort, and two of them had bulbs arranged s0 that they would explode with a vessel com- ing in contact with them. But the alleged electrical 2ngineer adds that he does not believe the bulbs would be used in water as shallow as that of Havana harbor. Exhibited Plans of the Mines. " He exhibited the plans of one of these mines, which, he pointed out, was th? most likely to produce the effect described as causing the wreck of the Maine. It was numbered “2,” and was constructed to con- tain 500 pounds of guncotton. This is the story told by the man who gives one the impression that he has been @ sergeant of engineers, or has held some similar position. He was apparently thor- oughly posted upon electrical matters and submarine mines. The man who made the foregoing state- ments is an Erglishman, and he says he is willing to go to the United States as a wit- ness. Sale of Battle Ships Confirmed. Further inquiries made on the subject corfirm the report, cabled yesterday, of the sale to Spain of two cruisers which the Armstrongs have been building for Brazil. The inquiries farther show that a repre- sentative of the Chilean government has been negotiating with a representaiive of the Spanish government for the sale of the battle ship O'Higgins, built by the Arm- strongs for Chile, and it is believed that a deal is practically closed whereby this splendid warship pagses into Spain's pos- session. It is known that the Chilean representa- tive made a definite offer to Spain recent- ly, but the price was considered too high and Spain made a counter offer. It is now understood that they have come to terms, The Purchases in France. The ships which Spain secured in France are two heavily armored coast-defense vessels which Brazil ordered for. service on the river Platte, which have been build- ing at the La Seyne works at Havre. The statement made in Washington that the Amazonia, one of the vessels Spain } purchased from Brazil, nas already left this country for Brazil is incorrect. She is still at the Armstrong works. OQUENDO REACHES HAVANA, Work of the Divers Co: Wreck of the Maine. HAVANA, March 5.—The Spanish first- class cruiser Almirante Oquendo arrived in Havana harbor at 8:45 o'clock this morn- ing from Spein. She received a hearty wel- ccme from the ferry mues at boats and tugs on beard of which were the civil and mili- tary authorities and different societies which bad been ng for the warship'’s arrival. The docks were crowded with sightseers, rockets were sent up and flags and other decorations were displayed from the vessels in port, the public buildings and the palaces. The Almirante Oquendo made a fine ap- pearance as she returned the salute from Fort Cabanas, and then saluted the fort and admiral. Captain Joaquin Lasaga is in command of the Aimirante Oquendo. The papers here say the newly arrived vessel is of the same class as the Vizcaya. The same ceremonies were observed on the arrival of the Aimirauie Oquendo as were followed out when the Vizcaya reach- e1 this port from New York. Fitzhugh Lee, jr., son of the consul gen- eral, among the passengers who ar- » today on board the Olivette. United States light house tender ove is expected here at any time wa! smbdkestacks of the Maine have moved. The divers hope to re- more bo:ties today. Spain’s Floating Debt Increases, MADRID, March 5.—The floating debt of Spain was augmented by 15,226,681 pesetas Guring .the month of February. COAL FOR SICARD’S FLEET. Lacge Orders Placed in Alabama for Gulf Ports. MEMPHIS, March 5.—A special to the Commercial-Appeal from Birmingham,Ala., Ree ‘The United States government, it is learned, bas recently been buying Alabama coal in considerable quantities, for im- mediate delivery at the gulf posts for* the purpose of coaling warships. The coal operators do not give out the details, but it is known that the cruiser Detroit, which was in Mobile harbor ten days ago, was coaled with Alabama coal, and large shipments have been going to © Mobile, Pensacola, Tampa and Key West. A northern firm of coal operators has written to operators in this district, say- ing they were figuring on securing a con- tract for furnishing a quarter of a mil- lion tons of coal to the government for prompt delivery, and they desire to make heavy. purchases of Alabama coal to help i it. Alabama coal being near the gulf ports, it could. be utilized to advantage. Alabama operators have determined to bid ter on all government contracts —_— 2s" ANITA AT CHARLESTON, 8. C. Party Bearing Ex Route to Cuba.